Description and distribution
The Alpine ibex has a massive, stocky body with sturdy legs. Body length is 115 to 170 cm; weight 35 to 150 kg. The male has a short beard. The female is smaller and more delicate. Alpine ibex are easily identifiable for their scimitar-shaped horns that arch across their backs and grow up to 1 m in males. The front edge of the horn has transverse ridges. Each year 1 to 3 new ridges are added. In very old male ibex, however, only bumps are formed. The horns of the females are smoother and up to 35 cm in length. The rough, dense fur of the ibex is pale brown to ochre; the legs are darker, the underside and rump (target) are a dirty white. In the Middle Ages the ibex was distributed widely throughout the Alps. Many of this animal's organs have healing properties, which is why it was perse-cuted by human hunters. The last specimens disappeared from the Valais between 1800 and 1850. Re-introduction of ibex to Switzerland began in the early 20th century, initially with illegal animals imported from Italy. It has been largely successful in various locations; there are currently some 14,000 ibex in Switzerland.

Ecology
The Alpine ibex does not stray from its territory. It favours steep, topo-graphically varied, rocky slopes at altitudes of 1600 to 3200 m. Most colonies are found above the tree line. When they occur below, they tend to favour thinly forested, rocky and sunny areas. In winter they live in sexually mixed groups while in summer they segregate, males living apart from the hinds and their young. Group size varies between 2 and 20 individuals. The males observe a social hierarchy that is largely determined by age. Older, dominant bucks are bigger and have longer horns. The hierarchy, including access to the females, is determined during rut in late summer. Fighting rivals face each other at short range, rising on their hind legs and slamming into each other's horns as they drop to the ground. In June the females give birth to 1, rarely 2, young, in a sheltered, inaccessible place. The precocious kids are able to follow their mothers in the difficult terrain shortly after birth.
Ibex predominantly browse and graze on grasses and forbs. In winter they feed on old grasses and cushion plants which they scrape out from under the snow cover or find in steep, snow-free spots.